Feed for pea-planters



T. R. CRANE. m1) FOB PEAPLANTERS.

No. 555,896. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

A m Hill 13.

5 $4 mum" C Ti] L" WITNESSES 1--- TIIOMAS R. CRANE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ELIZABETH E. CRANE, OFI-IEATHSVILLE, VIRGINIA.

FEED FOR PEA-PLANTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,896, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed July 1 9, 1 8 9 5.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. CRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeds for Pea-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved feed device for grain and seed hoppers.

The object of the invention is to secure uniformity in feeding from the hopper to the delivery-tube and at the same time to contrive the moving parts so as to avoid crushing the grain.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved feeddevice taken on the irregular line 1 1 seen in Fig. 4. This device has position in the bottom of the hopper-box, which is indicated by broken lines. Fig. 2 is a side view of the rotary part of my improved feed. Fig. 3 is an inverted-plan view of the part shown in Fig. 2. Fig. at is atop view of the cup part shown in Fig. 1. l

The letter A designates the bottom of the hopper-box. Such boxes are ordinarily fitted with a number of these feed devices. Only one is shown in the drawings.

A metal grain cup B projects upward through a board 0. (Shown in broken lines.) This cup has at its base a flange or plate c which is held to its position and sustains the cup by screws or bolts 6. In thepresent instance the said base-flange d has two bearings f, each supporting a shaft 9, (shown in broken lines,) said shafts having each a bevel-pinion 72, also indicated in broken lines.

The grain-cup B is circular, and its bottom has a round hole 1), and a curb or inclined wall j rises up around said hole, and thereby an annular grain receiving channel j is formed. A rotary part (shown in Fig. 2) has a top saucer K, which rests upon and revolves on the top rim of the said cup. The top surface of the saucer inclines and is provided with an opening Z at the lower side, by which the grain passes down into the channel 7" of the cup. Projecting from the bottom of the saucer is a central feed-tube N, which passes down through the said round holed in the Serial No. 556,444. (No model.)

bottom of the grain-cup. The lower end of this feedtube is provided with an inverted- L-shaped slot 11, which engages with an inward-projecting pin 4?. 011 the hub of a bevelgear 0. This pin and the slot form a catch which makes the said pinion fast on the feedtube. This bevel-gear meshes with the two bevel-pinions h on shafts g, and the tube and hub of the gear 0 are between the two pinions. The feed-tube also has, where it adjoins the saucer K, a side opening or cutaway p, which is partially surrounded by a feed blade Q. The inner end of this feed-blade is secured to the tube and its upper part is secured to the bottom of the saucer. A pin 8 passed through the saucer secures both the tube and blade. The lower edge 7" of the feed-blade inclines from the inner end downward to the outer end. From the inner end the blade curves out eccentrically and extends around and beyond the diametrically-opposite side of the tube and has a terminating point q. The lower inclined edge 0" of the blade sweeps partly around and in contact with the inclined curb 7'. When the parts are assembled, as in Fig. 1, the point end q of the blade extends down into the channel j of the graincup and as it revolves scoops up the grain from the channel and conveys it to the said opening or cutaway 19, through which the grain 1 passes into the feed-tube and then down. The hub of the bevel-gear O has a circumferential groove '6. One end of a flexible tube or hose (not shown) is to be drawn over the hub and secured by a wire around'it at this groove t, and the grain passes through said hose to a grain boot or drill tube. (Not shown.)

The rotary scoop-up action of the feed-blade Q is so easy on the grain or peas that there is no liability of crushing.

The particular shape of the grain-channel j in the cup B may be varied from that shown, and the shape of the feed-blade varied accordingly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. The combination of a stationary circular grain-cup, B having a central round hole;

a rotary saucer resting upon the top rim of the said cup and having an opening leading down thereinto; a central feed-tube secured to the saucer and projecting down through the said round hole in the cup and provided with a side opening, 13; and a feed-blade attached to the tube and from its attached end curved eccentrically and extending partly around the said side opening and serving to sweep the grain from the cup into said side opening.

2. The combination of a stationary circular grain-cup, B, having a central round hole; a rotary saucer resting upon the top rim of the said cup and having an opening leading down thereinto; a central feed-tube secured to the saucer and projecting down through the said round hole in the cup and provided with a side opening, 19; a feed-blade attached to the tube and from its attached end curved eccentrically and extending partly around the said side opening and serving to sweep the grain from the cup into said side opening; two bevel-pinions, h, mounted below the cup one at each side of the feed-tube; and a bevelpinion secured on the lower end of said feedtube and meshing with both of said pinions. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS R. CRANE. Witnesses:

CHARLES B. MANN, Jr., L. I. VAN HORN. 

